Drapery hardware



Feb. 22, 1966 J. K. MATES 3,235,926

DRAPERY HARDWARE Filed July 19, 1963 INVENTOR JACK K. MATES ATT RNEYS United States Patent Ofi lice 3,235,926 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 3,235,926 DRAPERY HARDWARE Jack K. Mates, Scarsdale, N.Y., assignor to Velcro Corpo- This invention relates to drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material and more especially to drapery hardware which may be attached to the drapery quickly, will hold securely to the drapery, and is easily detached to permit cleaning the drapery material. The invention particularly relates to drapery hardware incorporating a tape fastener of the kind described in De Mestral Patent No. 2,717,437.

Hardware, as used in connection with drapery, including drapes, curtains, swags, and other decorative hangings, includes various devices and fixtures. For example, the hardware use-d in hanging a draw curtain might include a traverse rod and the necessary attachments for afiixing it to the wall, sliding eyelets upon the traverse rod, hooks attached to the curtain for hanging the curtain upon the eyelets, and weights inserted in the hem of the curtain so that the curtain will hang properly. The drapery hardware which is the subject of this application refers to hardware which is to be directly connected or attached to the drape or curtain itself. Thus, in the foregoing example, drapery hardware would include the drapery hooks and the weights.

Drapery hardware includes many kinds and forms of devices. The kinds of hardware include fasteners such as drapery hooks for hanging or holding the material; slides for permitting the sliding of drapes along a rod; fasteners for closing of joining portions of the material; weights for drawing the material in a desired manner; tiebacks and holdbacks for holding the material in a given position; and fasteners, for securing valances, swags, jabots and the like. These fasteners take a variety of forms such as hooks, snaps, clamps, slides, and rings and may be constructed of metal, synthetic resins, or wood. Weights are often in the shape of weighted tapes or washers.

The hooks, snaps, clamps, rings, slides, weights and the like fittings which are used for drapery hardware are usually attached to the drapery material by sewing, pinning, or clamping, or by insertion into special pockets or folds designed for the purpose of holding the hardware. The known means for attaching the hardware to the drapery material has numerous disadvantages.

Where the hardware is permanently affixed to the material, as by a sewn connection, it cannot be removed when the drape is cleaned. Thus, there is the possibility that the fabric or the hardware will be harmed during cleaning. Should a replacement part be required, it must be sewn, a time-consuming process. In the initial manufacture of the drape or curtain, the affixing of hardware by sewing is a time consuming and expensive process. Further, the fact that the hardware is sewn upon the fabric means that the attachment is made at specific points. This creates singular points of stress which, after a time, have a tendency to wear.

Hardware may be fastened by a pin. An example is the combined hook and pin which is attached by piercing the heading of the drape or curtain. This is obviously harmful to the fabric. The weight of the material and the action of opening and drawing the drape place undue strain at the specific points where the hardware is pinned. Thus, a wearing of the material is likely to occur at these points.

A clamping means is sometimes used to attach the hardware. For example, a toothed spring device hetween which the fabric is inserted may be used to fasten a ring to a curtain. Such a device has the advantage of being easily removable. It suffers from the great disadvantage of being destructive to the material by reason of the puncturing action of the clamp teeth.

Pockets or folds in the drape, which folds are designed for the purpose of holding the hardware, suggest a compromise to permit easier removal of the hardware without destroying the material. The shortcoming here is that of time and expense in sewing these folds and 1n the creation of relatively bulky portions in the drape material itself to accommodate the hardware. Further, once the pocket has been sewn there is little flexibility in how and at what portions the hardware can be attached and in how the material can thereafter be arranged.

The present invention is based upon the discovery that a tape fastener having a plurality of small hooks made of synthetic resin material may be used in conjunction with a hardware fitting for the purpose of hanging and arranging drapery material. It was found that a tape fastener such as is sold under the trademark Velcro, and as described in De Mestral Pat. No. 2,717,437, may be used in combination with a hardware fitting to hold the drapery material on curtain rods and similar fixtures. It was further found that a tape fastener having a plurality of small hooks thereon in combination with a fitting may be attached to drapery material at portions where there is sewn a strip of pile material having a plurality of small loops which may be engaged by the hooks of the tape fastener. In some cases it was found that no extra strip of pile material was needed where the drapery material itself was of a pile fabric. In the latter case the tape fastener could be attached directly to the drape.

Based upon the foregoing discovery this invention is for drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material wherein the hardware comprises a fit ting and a tape fastener attached to the fitting. The tape fastener itself further comprises a tape portion and a plurality of material engaging synthetic resin hooks attached to the tape portion whereby the hardware may be attached to the drapery material.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a rear View of a drape showing attached drapery hooks and weights;

FIG. 2 is a section illustrating the attachment of the drapery hook to a pile fabric;

FIG. 3 is a section illustrating the drapery hook and the plurality of synthetic resin hooks of the tape fastener portion;

FIG. 4 is a section of a weight as affixed to the lower part of the drape; and

FIG. 5 is a section illustrating a modified embodiment of the present invention in which the fitting includes a lgeferring to FIG. 1, a drape 1 has sewn upon the upper hem 2 a pile fabric tape 3. Sewn upon the lower hem 4 is a similar pile fabric tape 5. Attached to the upper hem 2 are a plurality of drapery hooks denoted generally as 6 and attached to the lower hem 4 are a plurality of drapery weights denoted generally as 7.

The drapery hook 6 is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The embodiment of FIG. 2 comprises a fitting, denoted generally as 8, and a tape fastener, denoted generally as 9. The fitting 8, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 2, is in the form of a metallic hook 10 which may be inserted into an eyelet or ring or hung upon a rod. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the metallic hook 10 is attached to the tape fastener 9 by means of a rivet l1.

Other suitable means of attachment may also be used such as snaps or clamps.

The tape fastener 9 of the drapery hook 6 in turn comprises a foundation tape 12 and a plurality of raised threads' in the form of material engaging hooks 13. The hooks are best seen in the embodiment of FIG. 3. In the preferred embodiment, the foundation tape 12 is made of a woven synthetic resin material such as nylon. The plurality of raised threads in the form of the material engaging hooks 13 are also preferably made of a synthetic resin material which is interwoven with the foundation tape 12. Other materials may also be substituted for the tape and the hooks, as, for example, threads of fine wire.

The drapery hook 6 is preferably used in conjunction with a pile fabric tape such as tape 3. The pile fabric tape 3 in turn comprises a base fabric 14 and a plurality of raised threads in the form of loops 16. The pile fabric tape 3 is sewn to the upper hem 2 of the drape 1. As mentioned above with respect to the tape fastener, the threads comprising the base fabric 14 and the raised threads in the form of loops 16 may be selected from a number of materials but arepreferably of a synthetic resin material.

Attachment of the drapery hook 6 to the pile fabric tape 3 is quick and sure. It merely requires light pressure contact between that portion of the drapery hook 6 having the material engaging hooks 13 and the loops 16 of the tape 3. In this manner a number of material engaging hooks 13 engage a number of loops 16. Although the exact number of engagements is indeterminate, it has been found that the attachment thus made is secure and strong, particularly against the shearing action of the weight of the drape 1 with respect to the drapery hook 6.

Separation of the drapery hook 6 from the pile fabric tape 3 is quickly and easily accomplished by a peeling action of the drapery hook 6 away from the pile fabric tape 3. The separation of the parts is permitted by reason of the resilient nature of the material engaging hooks 13. As the peeling action takes place, the hooks 13 bend and open, permitting the loops 16 to disengage without breaking or being torn away from the base fabric 14.

The embodiment of the drapery hook 6 shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3 also has the elements of a fitting 17 and a tape fastener 18. In this embodiment the fitting 17 comprises a metallic hook 19 and a plate 20. The hook 19 is afiixed to the plate 20 by means of a rivet 21. The tape fastener 18 comprises a foundation tape 22 made of a woven material and a plurality of material engaging books 23 made preferably of a synthetic resin material. The tape fastener 18 is affixed to the plate 20 by an adhesive 24. v

FIG. 4 is a section of a weight 7 attached to the lower hem 4. The weight 7 in turn comprises a fitting 25 in the form of a metal disk and a tape fastener 26. The tape fastener 26 comprises a foundation tape 27 and a plurality of material engaging hooks 28. The tape fastener 26 is secured to the fitting 25 by a suitable adhesive.

Also shown in FIG. 4 is a section of the pile fabric tape which is identical to the pile fabric tape 3.

It can be seen that drapery hardware made in accordance with the present invention overcomes the major disadvantages of the prior art devices. The hardware can be attached quickly and with little skill. It can be removed easily by a simple peeling action. No bulky folds or pockets are required. It is non-destructive to fabric. Because of the relatively broad area of engagement by the tape fastener there are no concentrated points of stress which tend to wear the drapery fabric. There is great flexibility in the placement of the hardware. In the case of certain pile fabric drapery materials such as velvet, velours, duvetyn, and Wool the use of articles made in accordance with this invention is additionally convenient since the article may then be attached to the drape itself without the need of a pile fabric tape.

The drapery hardware shown in the drawing illustrates two principal embodiments of drapery hardware made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The basic elements of a fitting in combination with a tape fastener as comprising an article of drapery hardware are there shown. The fitting itself might be in a variety of shapes and perform a variety of specific functions. For example, the fittings may be rings for sliding upon a curtain rod or snaps for aflixing a valance to a cornice.

Although it is preferred that the tape fastener having the material engaging hooks and the fitting comprise the article of drapery hardware, the arrangement of the elements might be changed without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the pile fabric tape having the loops might be affixed to the fitting and the tape fastener with its material engaging hooks sewn to the drape. The same principle of engagement between the material engaging hooks and the loops still applies.

I claim:

1. Drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material from a support, said hardware comprising (a) a pile fabric tape sewn to the drapery material, the pile fabric tape comprising a base fabric and a plurality of raised threads in the form of loops,

(b) a tape fastener having a stiff foundation and a plurality of raised threads of synthetic resin material engaging hooks adapted to engage the loops of the pile fabric tape, and

(c) a drapery fitting secured to the tape fastener, the

drapery fitting further comprising a support for engagement with a support means, the drapery fitting being adapted to support the drapery material when the tape fastener is engaged with the pile fabric tape.

2. Drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fitting is a drapery hook adapted to support the drapery material.

3. Drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fitting is a ring adapted to support the drapery material.

4. Drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fitting is a drapery hook secured to the tape fastener by a rivet.

5. Drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material from a support, said hardware comprising (a) a pile fabric tape sewn to the draperymaterial, the pile fabric tape comprising a base fabric and a plurality of raised threads in the form of loops,

(b) a tape fastener having a stiff foundation and a plurality of raised threads of synthetic resin material engaging hooks adapted to engage the loops of the pile fabric tape, and

(c) a drapery fitting secured to the tape fastener, the

drapery fitting further comprising (i) a plate portron secured to the tape fastener and (ii) a support engaging portion for engagement with a horizontal support means, the drapery fitting being adapted to support the drapery material when the tape fastener is engaged with the pile fabric tape.

6. Drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material, said hardware comprising (a) a pile fabric tape sewn to the drapery material the pile fabric tape comprising a base fabric and 5 plurality of raised threads inthe form of loops,

(b) a tape fastener comprising a foundation tape and a plurality of raised threads of synthetic resin material engaging hooks adapted to engage the loops of the pile fabric tape, and

(c) a drapery fitting secured to the tape fastener, the

drapery fitting further comprising a hook portion and a plate portion riveted to the hook and further secured to the foundation tape of the tape fastener by an adhesive, the drapery fitting being adapted to support the drapery material when the tape fastener is engaged with the pile fabric tape.

7. Drapery hardware for use in hanging and arranging drapery material, said hardware comprising (a) a pile fabric tape sewn to the drapery material, the

pile fabric tape comprising a base fabric and a plurality of raised threads in the form of loops,

(b) a tape fastener comprising a foundation tape and a plurality of raised threads of synthetic resin material engaging hooks adapted to engage the loops of the pile fabric tape, and

(c) a drapery fitting secured to the tape fastener, the drapery fitting comprising a ring portion and a plate portion riveted to the ring and further secured to the foundtaion tape of the tape fastener by an adhesive, the drapery fitting being adapted to support the drapery material when the tape fastener is en gaged with the pile fabric tape.

References Cited by the Examiner WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner. 

1. DRAPERY HARDWARE FOR USE IN HAINGING AND ARRANGING DRAPERY MATERIAL FROM A SUPPORT, SAID HARDWARE COMPRISING (A) A PILE FABRIC TAPE SEWN TO THE DRAPERY MATERIAL, THE PILE FABRIC TAPE COMPRISING A BASE FABRIC AND A PLURALITY OF RAISED THREADS IN THE FORM OF LOOPS, (B) A TAPE FASTENER HAVING A STIFF FOUNDATION AND A PLURALITY OF RAISED THREADS OF SYNTHETIC RESIN MATERIAL ENGAGING HOOKS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE LOOPS OF THE PILE FABRIC TAPE, AND (C) A DRAPERY FITTING SECURED TO THE TAPE FASTENER, THE DRAPERY FITTING FURTHER COMPRISING A SUPPORT FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A SUPPORT MEANS, THE DRAPERY FITTING BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE DRAPERY MATERIAL WHEN THE TAPE FASTENER IS ENGAGED WITH THE PILE FABRIC TAPE. 